Without Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever Fend Off Portland Fire 90-73
Carla Leite's return to the court wasn't enough tonight, as the Portland Fire struggled from the opening whistle.
WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark - arguably the biggest name in women’s basketball - didn’t play tonight. In her absence, Indiana relied on veteran guard Sophie Cunningham, who defined this game with one gritty display late in the first half.
Double teamed by Portland defenders Bridget Carleton and Emily Engstler, the former All American swatted away Carleton - who braced her fall by pulling hair - and elbowed Engstler, drawing blood.
Portland head coach Alex Sarama is known for his Constraints-Led Approach, an admirable philosophy, but this game was no holds barred. After forty minutes of violence, Indiana won 90-73.
Four minutes into the game, star point guard Carla Leite stepped onto the court for the first time since last Tuesday - when the French international persisted through a rolled ankle to aid Portland’s comeback victory - and the Fire clearly cherished her return.
With 4:27 on the first quarter clock, and Indiana leading 17-11, South Carolina first round rookie Raven Johnson missed a jumper from the elbow. That sparked Fire post Megan Gustafson, who hauled in the rebound. In the blink of an eye, Gustafson fed wing Haley Jones on the fast break, who promptly dished across the floor to her French floor general. The young star, whose penchant for dribble-drive penetration has defined Portland’s offense so far this season, sprinted towards the basket with reckless abandon. After making contact with Fever forward Makayla Timpson, Leite stepped onto the foul line for two hard-earned free throws.
Later in the period, Leite pried free of the youthful Johnson thanks to a Luisa Geiselsöder screen. That triggered a switch by Fever center Aliyah Boston, who shrewdly crashed inside to deny Leite’s lane to the hoop. Ultimately, it didn’t matter; the second year guard stepped back and swished from the edge of the paint.
Still, Indiana found holes in Portland’s defense. Through one quarter, the Fever scored ten points in the paint, and led 28-20.
The second quarter saw Portland gradually claw back, with a 6-0 run inching the Fire within 2. At the five minute mark, Leite tried to hook a pass to Serah Williams off the pick and roll, but her effort was intercepted by Fever guard Tyasha Harris, and Indiana’s lead held firm.
That advantage grew before the half, with Boston towering over a mismatched Portland defender for a lob, breaking free for a layup. Thanks to a last-second transition bucket by Kelsey Mitchell, capping off a 21-7 run, Indiana led 53-37 at halftime.
Through two quarters, Mitchell had 16 points, Boston had 13 points, and Portland’s top expansion draft pick Carleton led the Rose City with 12 points. The Canadian sharpshooter earned her tally through an outstanding 50% field goal clip, with a white hot 40% three point rate. Despite her best efforts, Indiana outscored Portland in more than just points: the Fever also held advantages in rebounds, and steals.
In a season defined by shrewd third quarter adjustments, tonight Portland looked lost. Seven minutes deep into the third quarter, the Fire managed just 7 points. Their third period performance was perhaps best exemplified by a Carla Leite drive with 3:36 left: surrounded by defenders and out of ideas, the French guard spun into a travel. Gradually, Indiana’s sizeable halftime margin ballooned out of control. Behind long range strikes from Boston and a flurry of free throws, the period ended with the Rose City trailing 73-51.
In a moment that mattered more than the deficit, Aussie rookie Nyadiew Puoch left the game with a right ankle injury. She was helped off the floor by teammates, and carried to the locker room by Fire assistant coach (and 2017 WNBA MVP + 4x DPOY) Sylvia Fowles.
Early in the fourth quarter, Portland lost another young player for the night, as their second-year German center Geiselsöder earned her sixth foul. Without the two long, athletic defenders, the game’s result was only a matter of time.
At the final buzzer, Portland lost 90-73. Bridget Carleton led the Fire with 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting, while Fever stars Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell notched 24 and 21 respectively.
The loss drops Portland to 2-3 on the season. They will next play Saturday afternoon against their expansion draft partners in Canada, the Toronto Tempo. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 PM PST.
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Matt Bagley is a professional sports journalist with a passion for women’s sports. Outside of work, he cherishes quality time with his birth family, his chosen family, and one very pesky house panther.
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